I don't have an inherent problem with either the big market or rebuilding approach, but it sure seems that the Sox have halfheartedly doing either.

If you're going to be a big market team spending a top 5 payroll, then they should really go out and get good players. Sadly Jerry seems to keep just enough a rein on payroll at those times so Kenny is forced to pick up reclamation projects, and hopeful players that rarely pan out. And then he has to take huge risks on midseason additions when they don't work out...

Aside from the "All In" spending to acquire the remaining parts of the 2011 team, this was the Sox' primary plan since 2005.

And if you're going to rebuild, then invest in the draft and international FAs, and stop being in lockstep with Bud's caps and the "signability" nonsense that caused our system to turn into the worst in the majors. I can only hope that the next two years are about shedding contracts and rebuilding the system and not another smokescreen of doing just enough to keep the revenue coming in.

Just going out and getting top players is a 2 way street. The Sox have tried to play the FA market more recently. The problem is that a lot of free agents don't see the Sox as a good destination. This is part of the reason Kenny has had to be creative.

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Originally Posted by shoota

I'm not counting this homerun or his 3 RBI from today's game because of the game situation. I'm not counting his pinch hit solo homerun in a blowout win in Colorado. In my book, Crede has 2 less home runs than his statistics show, 4 less RBI, and one less walk (the one where he pinch hit for Uribe after coming in with a 3-0 count and taking one pitch).

Winning the WS in '05 wasn't a vindication of how the Sox have run their minor league system over the last 10 years.

For all I know, all these former players really are the best baseball people out there. But, I have my doubts that is really the case.

The only shake up I can think of in recent years was in 2008 when they hired Buddy Bell for their minor league system. That was something like 4 years ago now and the Sox are just as devoid of talent as ever.

I don't necessarily think it was a vindication, but my point is that JR probably thinks it was, considering that none of his other approaches have worked nearly as well.

__________________"I have the ultimate respect for White Sox fans. They were as miserable as the Cubs and Red Sox fans ever were but always had the good decency to keep it to themselves. And when they finally won the World Series, they celebrated without annoying every other fan in the country." Jim Caple, ESPN (January 12, 2011)

"We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the (bleeding) obvious is the first duty of intelligent men." — George Orwell

And if you're going to rebuild, then invest in the draft and international FAs, and stop being in lockstep with Bud's caps and the "signability" nonsense that caused our system to turn into the worst in the majors. I can only hope that the next two years are about shedding contracts and rebuilding the system and not another smokescreen of doing just enough to keep the revenue coming in.

I don't see how this adherence to the slot can be a real problem. Even if adherence means that when we draft, say, at 15, we take the 25th best player, the 25th best player still should be a quality player. A lot of our picks are nothing but organizational minor leaguers in talent. It's scouting, bad philosophy or whatever.
My problem with KW's performance is that he gives up our top young talent for mediocre or flawed players that teams are trying to dump. Other teams don't give up their top young talent when getting mediocre players.